


missing

by allmywill



Category: Arcadia (UK Band), Duran Duran
Genre: Cemetery, Dialogue Heavy, Established Relationship, M/M, Spooky, typical nisi banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-08 04:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21229649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmywill/pseuds/allmywill
Summary: Nick is starting to believe.





	missing

**Author's Note:**

> quick little halloween inspired thing, titled after the Arcadia song! i wrote this with the Arcadia era in mind as well.
> 
> in the comments, leave your favorite duran pairing that i haven’t written yet ;) i’d like to try something different!

"Where exactly are we heading to?” Nick asks from the passenger seat of Simon’s car. They’re speeding along a back road in the countryside, the fog thick in the black night. Tonight feels oddly eternal, like the moment will last forever, even though forever doesn’t quite exist.

Simon smiles, but his face is hidden by the midnight hour. Only the lights on the dashboard offer any illumination inside the car. “You’ll see,” he replies, excited for the adventure ahead.

Nick spends another dreamy minute watching the road, the small sliver ahead of them that’s visible. The sky is nearly moonless tonight, making the few lonely visible stars more prominent in the darkness. There’s a slight chill in the air, though Nick feels cozy and warm in his jumper. Being in Simon’s presence helps, too; his heart still flutters when he looks at him. The car eventually begins to slow and Simon turns onto a dirt road.

“This is the strangest surprise,” Nick comments. He uncrosses his legs as a building comes into view. It appears to be, or more accurately, have _been_ a church. “You know, if you wanted to make sweet love to me, we could’ve just stayed home.”

Simon puts the car in park, chuckling to himself. He looks over at Nick as he puts the overhead light on. “For once, I wasn’t thinking of that, but if you _insist._”

With that, he leans over the center console and cups Nick’s face, connecting their lips. He feels him begin to smile into the kiss, which makes him do the same. He pulls away before it becomes too heated. Now is not the time, nor the place.

“That’s not why I brought you here, actually. Maybe next time?” Simon teases with a wink. He knows it drives Nick crazy.

Nick pouts, his bottom lip jutting out. Simon really wants to take it between his teeth, but then his expression changes to a smirk and he smacks Simon’s shoulder playfully. “Oh alright, then why’d you bring me tonight?”

“Because I think you’re going to like this place.” Simon reaches over and opens the glove box, pulling out a flashlight. “We’ll definitely need this.”

He then opens the car door and turns on the light, illuminating the grass at his feet. He rounds the front of car, opening the passenger side door for Nick. “Care for a stroll, love?” he asks in a ridiculous posh accent, holding an arm out to him.

Nick chuckles, his endearing smile revealed by the light shining on the ground before him. He stands and links an arm around Simon’s. “For a second, I thought you were being a gentleman,” he starts, the grin on his face wide, “but turns out you’re just a prick.”

Simon whistles. “Only when you want me to be.”

“_Ugh,_ not in public, please,” Nick tries to scold him, though it doesn’t quite come across as such.

“Public? So hundreds of dead people buried in the ground are now the public?”

Nick rolls his eyes, feigning disgust and clinging to Simon’s side as they walk. “You know what I mean.”

“Alright, you’re the one with your mind in the gutter, though.”

“_Your_ mind has been in the gutter since the day you were born.”

Simon stops suddenly, guiding the light over rows and rows of headstones. They’re alone, just the two of them, or so he thought when they first arrived. He pulls Nick closer into his side. “Did you hear something?”

“No.” Nick shakes his head. “Charlie, don’t you dare. I’m already scared enough.”

“I’m serious.” He starts walking again, Nick following. “I thought I heard a voice.”

“_Jesus._”

“No, I don’t think it was him.”

Nick bursts out in laughter; only Simon can change the mood like that. “You’re terrible,” he tells him as they share a moment together, giggling like children.

Simon leads them down a row of particularly old looking headstones. They’re so weathered from years gone by that the names and dates aren’t readable on most of them. It’s eerie and strange; he feels a shiver begging to run down his spine.

“Do you think we’re alone here?” Nick asks, looking up at Simon.

“I’m not sure.” He shines the light around again, as if he’s looking for someone still alive and breathing. “I didn’t think this place would be so unsettling at night.”

“Well, it _is_ a cemetery.” Nick looks to the silhouette of the abandoned church; dilapidated and lifeless. “And there _are_ a lot of people here.”

Simon groans. “Now you’re freaking me out.”

Nick laughs softly. They’re almost at the end of the row, a line of gigantic trees waiting for them there. “This was your idea, I recall.”

Simon points the flashlight towards the trees, and between two of them, something moves away quickly, as if avoiding the light. It’s gone almost as soon as their eyes hit it, but both of them know they saw _something_.

“Please tell me you saw that too,” Nick whispers, mouth agape. He’s not sure if he wants to start running or stay right here, clinging onto Simon for dear life.

“Let’s get out of here, yeah?” Simon says in reply, telling him everything he needs to know.

They hurriedly make their way back to the car, cutting their visit short. By the time they’re driving away, their hearts are beating fast and they’re out of breath.

After a few moments, Nick breaks the small window of silence between them. “I’m really hoping that was an animal.”

Simon shrugs, but the gesture is senseless in the dark. “To be fair, I don’t want to know. I enjoy sleeping at night.”

Nick takes a deep breath and fixes his eyes on the road ahead. He wants to believe it was something explainable, something in the realm of normal, but a strange feeling tells him otherwise. “You know, I thought I didn’t believe in that stuff. I think I’m changing my mind.”

“That settles it, then. I’m buying you a ouija board.”

“Charlie, no. Don’t you _dare_.”


End file.
